Nazr Mohammed is a family man, so the continuity of keeping his kids in the same school appealed to him.

The veteran center is a local product — the pride of Kenwood Academy — who enjoyed playing in front of relatives and friends last season. He's also a former NBA champion, and playing for a winning team is all he wants to do entering his 16th season.

But one of the biggest reasons Mohammed verbally agreed on a one-year contract to return at the veteran's minimum salary is a dynamic that hovers over most everything about the Bulls.

“I still haven't played with Derrick Rose,” Mohammed said by phone Tuesday morning, shortly after making official the return that most team observers expected.

“I've been fortunate to play with a lot of superstars in my career. And Derrick reminds me a lot of Kevin Durant, a humble, hardworking star who is all about the team. Playing with him will be great.”

Rose, of course, missed all of last season after knee surgery. Mohammed missed only half of it — or so it seemed after he drew 19 “Did Not Play, Coach's Decision” designations early in the season.

But coach Tom Thibodeau trusted Mohammed down the stretch, playing him in critical moments including the playoffs. Mohammed averaged 2.6 points and 3.1 rebounds in 11 minutes, but his value transcended numbers. He's a good presence in the locker room and can go long stretches without playing and still produce, a la Kurt Thomas from the 2010-11 Bulls.